Birth
Thurman Quote: “‘Howard,’ he said, ‘you must always do your own thinking but remember Wisdom was not born with you. That is all.’ In these nineteen words there was held before me a mirror. What I saw I have never quite forgotten.”
Citation: “Do Your Own Thinking,” in The Inward Journey, p. 66.
Description: In this meditation, Thurman reflects on his experience in a math class where he finally stood out as the students with the “right answer.” Instead of praise, however, his teacher offered him a thoughtful reflection about the difference between momentary knowledge and Wisdom. The journey of interpretation may require us, at times, to discern between the two: knowledge and wisdom; fact and insight; and meaning and foresight.
Reflect on: How the interpretive endeavor moves you between moments of knowledge and wise counsel.
